Latina sorority finds small, meaningful campus community
CASEY STAFF REPORTER
Jarely Casillas never imagined herself as a sorority girl.
Soccer is all the Enid native knew growing up.
But she didn’t see herself as a soccer player at first, either. Casillas’ parents immigrated from Mexico, and soccer was part of her heritage. Her time sitting on the sidelines and cheering on her sister won her over. She fell in love with soccer and joined a team.
“It (soccer) brings together so many people, and soccer is such a team sport, that it just creates the best bonds,” Casillas said. “Having your family on the sidelines, or even being a part of the sideline is so amazing, just because you’re all supporting the same thing.”
It’s similar to the bond Casillas formed with her college sorority sisters.
She attended OSU to double major in marketing and management with minors in sports marketing and sports management after attending Northern Oklahoma College for three semesters.
See LATINA on page 7A
Friday, October 18, 2024
‘These
Stay and Play Pet Resort accommodating to all dogs, cats
BY RAYNEE HOWELL I @RAYNEEHOWELL I ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Hoss, a Great Pyrenees-Lab mix, wouldn’t enter the doors of the Stay and Play Pet Resort on his first visit. He hated doors. He was scared to death of them, manager Heidi Simpson said.
Each time Hoss attended day camp, one of SPPR’s most popular boarding services, the staff would have to walk him around the building to the back
door, straight to the dog day-camp area.
Now, Hoss enters the doors enthusiastically, pulling his owner to the dog room.
“Every dog that has started out that way, once they’ve been here at least two to three times, have started pulling us through the back,” Simpson said. “I get goosebumps, only for the fact of that dog very loudly telling you ‘I’m happy,’ to their owner too.”
The doors were scary to Hoss, but
that is not the only thing that deters dogs like him. The building, located right outside of Stillwater on Brush Creek Road, smells of other dogs, cats and sterile cleaning supplies, which reminds dogs and cats of a vet’s office. Simpson said Zora, a big black poodle, was just like Hoss. She refused to come inside. Now, she runs offleash, straight to day camp.
Center for Sovereign Nations, NASA celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day
HAYDEN ALEXANDER
NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Grab a snow cone and stay for the stickball.
In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, the Center for Sovereign Nations, NASA, members of the Alpha Pi Omega, a Native American sorority and representatives from the Native American Primary Care Center of Excellence came together on Monday to educate and celebrate with the OSU community.
Students could enjoy a snow cone from Kona Ice and cheer on those participating in stickball.
Kenzie Burkett, the head of social media and communications for the Center of Sovereign Nations, passed out pamphlets with resources and ways for students to get involved.
“We are just really trying to educate people here on campus,” Burkett said.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day was introduced in 1977 to replace Columbus Day, a federal holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus’ discovery of
America. Many groups have challenged the now take out infamous holiday for its historical inaccuracies and romanticized view of the relationship between the Native communities and early explorers.
OSU alumna and director of OSU CHS Native Primary Care Center of Excellence Tonya Wapskineh attended the event to discuss different internship opportunities through the Native Primary Care Center. Wapskineh said it is imperative to recognize the real first Americans.
“Having known the history of Christopher Columbus and the things that come along with that, and you know him supposedly discovering America, which is not true after you further research it,” Wapskineh said. “I feel that celebrating Indigenous people were the first Americans or the first people here in America. I feel that is a really special moment to celebrate.”
Indigenous Peoples’ Day was officially recognized by South Dakota in 1989 and then again by the City of Berkeley, California, in 1992.
See INDIGENOUS on page 5A
Maya Blanks
Bree, one of the day-camp counselors, playing in the small dogs indoor pin on a hot day.
Lilian Easter
Janice Diaz De León (left) and Audrey
Nguyen show off the bags for breast cancer awareness at Willard Hall on Wednesday.
Bryson Thadhani
BELLA
Alleged attacker of OSU student pleads not guilty to aggravated assault, battery
RAYNEE HOWELL
ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
@RAYNEEHOWELL
One of the men who allegedly assaulted a college student on The Strip pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and battery Wednesday.
Last month, after a bottle was thrown in a couple’s direction, three men approached them. Colby Parsons and his girlfriend, Katlyn Louviere, were on the way to get hot dogs during the early morning hours of Sept. 14 when Parsons told the men to go away.
Parsons said to 2 News Oklahoma at the time that the men began “whaling” on him, and he was in a chokehold for what seemed like forever. He came away with multiple injuries.
He had a cut above his eyebrow that needed stitches, a broken ankle and scrapes on various
parts of his body.
All three men were arrested for public intoxication. Two of the men, Hunter Ray Meadows and Luke David Fields, were charged Sept. 17 with misdemeanor assault and battery.
On Oct. 4, Meadow’s charge was filed as a felony. The district attorney for the county made a motion to dismiss Meadows’ charges on Oct. 8.
Meadows appeared in court in Stillwater with his attorney, Ky Corley from Corley Law Firm. Meadows did not enter a plea, and the court sustained the motion.
Fields also had new charges filed on Oct. 4. He received a letter to appear in court on Oct. 16 for an arraignment. He arrived with attorney Alexa Smart. Fields’ previous misdemeanor charge was dismissed, and he was read his new charge, felony aggravated assault and battery.
Fields entered a plea of not guilty. His preliminary hearing is
scheduled for Dec. 2.
Meadows’ preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 4, when he will face a felony charge of aggravated assault and battery, the same charge as Fields, as a result of allegedly violating Oklahoma Statute 21-646.
The statue reads that assault and battery is considered aggravated when “great bodily injury is inflicted upon the person assaulted,” and according to the document, great bodily injury means “bone fracture, protracted and obvious disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of the function of a body part, organ or mental faculty, or substantial risk of death.”
Parsons’ injuries, including the broken ankle, elevated the charges.
If either Meadows or Fields are found guilty, they could face up to five years in the state penitentiary and up to $500 in fines, according to Oklahoma Statue 21-647.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Ask the Pokes
Do
you like cold weather?
“Yes I do. I love the fall, it’s my favorite season.”
- Ella Gregory, sophomore
“I love the cold weather I like wearing different fits. I’m a fashion person; this is more my element, putting on different stuff, layering.”
- Elijah Miles, junior
“It’s definitely a lot better than the summer. I definitely prefer it because I can layer up more, unlike the summer where I’m just dripping in sweat, and I’m having to deal with the Oklahoma heat.
OSU student Colby Parsons was attacked Sept. 14 on The Strip.
SGA travels to Iowa State for Big 12 conference
ered OSU has the lowest fees in the Big 12, but that means OSU lacks amenities that other schools have.
After a 6:45 a.m. departure from Stillwater, six Student Government Association members were off to Iowa.
The group visited Iowa State University, which hosted this year’s Big 12 student government meeting over the weekend. With two days of events, the annual meeting allowed SGA representatives from the conference to present, share ideas and collaborate on issues their respective student bodies share.
Student Body President Aubrey Ruffin said getting to meet the other universities’ student representatives helped build camaraderie and community.
“Sometimes when we’re in our own in institutions, we can think that we’re the only one struggling, we’re the only one facing this problem, but in reality, a lot of people in the conference are going through the same things,” Ruffin said. “So I think it helped (to) not only share ideas and whatnot, but just not feel like you are... alone or that you are dealing with problems in a solo manner.”
While at Iowa State, the group delivered a presentation on SGA’s goals, initiatives and achievements from last year. They were also able to compare and contrast notes with other student representatives.
Trevor Friesen, an SGA senator, said his main focus for the trip was comparing costs of student fees. After talking with different students, Friesen said he discov-
“So a school like TCU, a school like Iowa State, might have much higher fees, but in reality, what that means is they don’t have to pay to download their transcript,” Friesen said. “They don’t have to pay for Scantrons. They don’t have to pay for intramurals.”
To receive these benefits, Friesen said, students at universities like Baylor or TCU “pay outrageously larger tuition and fees” compared with OSU.
Comparisons between SGA budgets at each respective university caught SGA Senate Speaker Cannon Mitchell’s attention while at the conference.
OSU’s SGA receives part of the $2.50 per credit hour rate that is charged to students as a fee, according to the Office of the Bursar. In comparison, Mitchell said the University of Kansas charges $500 per semester, Kansas State University charges $484 per semester and TCU is working to raise its fee to $65.
Despite SGA operating on a fraction of the budget that other schools have, Mitchell said his group continues to be one of the leaders in the conference.
“Some people have millions of dollars, and it doesn’t seem like they’re doing a whole lot with it, but with our mere $110,000, having people take ideas from us is just, it’s really encouraging,” Mitchell said.
One of those ideas, Lights on Stillwater, garnered a lot of attention from other schools, Student Body Vice President Landry Baker said.
Baker, who was in charge of the OSU and Stillwater community event held in August, said other schools were impressed with the involvement between OSU and the community.
“I think what made Lights on Stillwater unique was that the student organizations were there, but it was also community centered, and that it was businesses from the community and nonprofits and other entities from the community who came,” Baker said. “And they liked that because I think they like the idea of having our town and our school merged for one night, for the students to just kind of give it up, like a broad sweep of everything that Stillwater and OSU has to offer in general.”
Baylor, in particular, expressed interest in holding a similar event in its hometown of Waco, Texas, Baker said.
While sharing ideas, OSU’s representatives also gleaned some of their own. Implementing a mobile ID or partnering with the city to run a more extensive bus system are items senators might look into, Mitchell said.
But at the end of the day, Mitchell said, making the trip to Ames, Iowa, reaffirmed SGA’s mission.
“We’re all students. We all care a lot about other students, and we’re all trying to make it better for other students,” Mitchell said. “And so getting to actually go and meet more of those students who are fighting the same battles that you are on behalf of their students is really encouraging.”
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Stillwater Oktoberfest flourishes, attracts more vendors, attendees
MILO CANTRELL STAFF REPORTER
Downtown Stillwater hosted its second annual Oktoberfest on Oct. 12.
Vendor booths spanned Main Street from 8th and 10th Avenue, selling food, clothing and many other handcrafted goods.
Attendees could sip beer from local brewers while they watched local musicians perform at Chris Salmon Plaza on 9th Avenue. This included Cassy Kendrick, Denim Armadillo, Julie Carson and The Heard.
At the Denis Plaza outside of Denis The Jeweler, there were acts ranging from martial arts demonstrations to theater performances. Collett Campbell, president of the Downtown Stillwater Executive Board, said the event has already grown considerably since last year’s Oktoberfest.
“Last year (we) had 22 vendors. This year, we had 68 sign up and we went from two beer vendors to eight,” she said. “A lot of people didn’t know where downtown was, or they just weren’t involved… we wanted to do something in the fall to bring awareness to downtown, to get people actively involved, hopefully get OSU students downtown.”
Oktoberfest provides small businesses and startups an opportunity to interact with the community and reach a larger audience. This is particularly helpful for those who don’t have a brick-and-mortar shop. This year’s vendors demonstrated the many types of artistic talent in Stillwater: printed clothing and accessories, jew-
elry, crocheted items, preserves, honey and other bee products and handmade Halloween masks were just some of the products on display.
The Stillwater public school system also included a youth art sale where kids and teenagers could sell their art.
The brewers at Oktoberfest don’t just provide spirits, they also give the people of Stillwater a place for people to gather and work to give back to the community. November Sankey, an employee at Stonecloud Brewing Co., said the company is involved in events for all ages.
“We do events where we dress up, like today we would wear dirndls and lederhosen… we had another event called Barktoberfest last weekend for dogs, where they did donations,” Sankey said. “I think it’s one of the most humanitarian places to work at while still being a cool bar where you can get drinks and hang out. It’s the only bar I’ve ever known that lets kids in to hang out and is allowed legally.”
OSU’s German Club appeared at the event and has been involved in Oktoberfest since it was started last year.
“I feel like a lot of us are so separated from the (Stillwater) community. We don’t hear a lot about events happening in the local community,” Treasurer Sylvie Steinhäusler said. “I’m a senior this year, and it’s been my first year of being more connected… so many of us are so far from home; it’s great to have a community that’s not just college students. I think (Oktoberfest) is a really good opportunity for college students to come connect and learn more about what’s offered in town.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
KENNEDY THOMASON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
OSU does not plan to continue its record-breaking enrollment pattern, the university’s president said Tuesday.
OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum said during the Fall General Faculty meeting that OSU is planning to maintain growth.
“We want to hold that 5,000 (incoming freshmen) for now,” Shrum said. “There’s a lot of things that obviously we have to consider, and that’s faculty ratios and academic facilities to house larger classes, as well as housing. So as you know, there was a little bit of a challenge in housing, but I feel like we have figured that out for now.”
For the third year in a row, OSU has broken its record for freshman enrollment. The university welcomed 5,030 first-year students, which is a 7% increase from last year, Shrum said.
OSU outpaced its growth goal of 5,000 freshman students two years early — a trend Shrum said is not likely to continue.
Enrollment helped bolster OSU to about 36,000 students system-wide, which is also a record.
As a result of the somewhat unex-
pected enrollment, there were issues with housing. So much so that in July, OSU sent out emails offering a bronze meal plan, which is valued at $3,400, and a $1,000 scholarship to students who wanted to trade in their on-campus housing.
Students who did not receive oncampus housing were placed off campus by the start of the semester. As OSU looks to maintain its growth, that also means an expansion of campus facilities, Shrum said. Buildings such as Life Sciences, which has $80 million for a new facility, will be the next priority. Shrum said staff facilities will be prioritized because of accreditation purposes.
OSU’s growth also comes as faculty pay continues to linger behind the Big 12 average.
Shrum said the university would need another $15 million annually to meet the average.
“Despite our average of, you know, 30% increase over the last three years, that’s still something that is a target goal that we haven’t met yet,” she said. “And, you know, it’s one of those things that didn’t happen overnight. It’s not going to be corrected overnight, but we are mindful of that and trying to work towards it.”
Courtesy Cannon Mitchell
(Left to right) Student Government Association Senate Speaker Cannon Mitchell, Student Body President Aubrey Ruffin and Student Body Vice President Landry Baker said interacting with other Big 12 representatives gave them a positive outlook on what OSU’s SGA is accomplishing.
‘Moon Music’
ZAK ROYKA STAFF REPORTER
UK pop legends Coldplay are back at it again with their latest full-length LP “Moon Music.”
After embarking on a series of albums kicked off by 2021’s “Music of the Spheres,” Coldplay continues its celestial journey with another superficial and overly dramatic 40-odd-minute experience in banality. It is not that this album is bad so much as it is forgettable.
Featuring several star-studded collaborations from artists like Timi and Little Simz, the overly enthralled lyrics are an exercise in purple prose. The dramatics are present from word “Go,” with the album opener “Moon Music,” a collaboration with electronica artist Jon Hopkins, coming into focus washed out and dreamy.
With a somber introduction from lead vocalist Chris Martin, my hopes were high, only to be dashed upon the rocks of boomy production focused on mindless anthem crafting. This song is a great example of why people become hipsters; the only metric by which it surpasses anything off “Parachutes” or “A Rush Of Blood To The Head” will be in return on investment.
The singles “Feels Like I’m Falling in Love” and “All My Love” redeem the album somewhat, with their bombastic scale feeling nearly appropriate for a band as big as this, but they also deliver some legitimately skilled composition. They play it straight; they aren’t built to surprise anyone, but they pull it off. The most maddening part of this experience is the insistence on fusion, with the middle single “We Pray” feeling less like a harmonious combination of five different artistic visions and more like a cacophony of unrealized potential. All of the musical ideas present are worthwhile and could be used to construct (or construe) a song of merit, but sadly it all gets crushed into a song that sounds like it does not want to exist.
The most frustrating song on the album, “Jupiter,” feels like it came out two decades too late and with far too little to say. With the main lyric “I love who I love!” repeated to the point of losing meaning, there seems to be a disconnect between the actual problems facing LGBTQ+ people and the simplistic, nursery-rhyme style of this song. Macklemore had a significantly more nuanced take in 2012 with “Same Love,” and a song by Macklemore from a dozen years ago is a pretty low bar. This album is fine for those seeking noise to blot out the unsettling quiet in their lives with inoffensive and simplistically enjoyable monotony.
For anything more I would advise to look elsewhere.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Former One Direction member Payne dead at 31 after fall
LUISA CLAUSEN STAFF REPORTER
Liam Payne, 31, who rose to fame as a singer for One Direction, was found dead Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, local officials said.
The director of emergency services in Buenos Aires, Alberto Crescenti, confirmed Payne’s death. Buenos Aires police said in a statement that he fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel, which resulted in serious injuries. Medics confirmed his death on the spot.
The Associated Press spoke to a spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Buenos Aires municipality, Pablo Policicchio, who said Payne had “thrown himself from the balcony of his room.” He added the police were dispatched to the hotel room in response to an emergency call about “an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alco-
hol.” On the 911 call, a hotel manager can be heard saying the hotel has “a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol… he’s destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone please,” according to a recording obtained by The Associated Press.
Upon arrival, the police found Payne’s body in the hotel courtyard.
The Buenos Aires police said they found Payne’s hotel room “in complete disarray” with packs of clonazepam, which is a central nervous system depressant. They also found energy supplements and over-thecounter drugs. In addition, the police retrieved a whiskey bottle, lighter and cellphone from the internal courtyard where Payne’s body was found.
The circumstances of his death are still being investigated.
Payne became known in 2010 after auditioning for “The X Factor.” Payne, as well as Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles, failed to make it through the
solo act, leading Simon Cowell and the other judges to combine the five boys into what would become one of the most famous and successful boy bands in the music industry.
The group became famous in 2011 when it debuted the single “What Makes You Beautiful,” hitting No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The group released five albums before it announced its break in 2015. Each member went on to pursue a solo career, and Payne released his first solo album, “LP1,” in 2019. Earlier this year, he released a single called “Teardrops.”
Last year, Payne shared that quick rise to fame had impacted his mental health, and he chose to stop drinking once he realized it had become a problem. He spent 100 days in a rehab facility in Louisiana and shared with fans he didn’t need that anymore, and “the party’s over.” Payne is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Guide to dressing for fall weather
RAYNEE HOWELL
ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR @RAYNEEHOWELL
As the fall weather finally makes an appearance in Stillwater, college students are beginning to dress in sweaters and flannels.
But bundling up for your early classes means suffering when the afternoon sun starts baking through your thick grandpa sweater.
To stay stylish but also dress appropriately for the fluctuating weather, listen up. Or should I say…
Layer up
Wearing layers allows you to adapt to the weather around you, whether you’re inside or outside. Throw on a thin long-sleeve shirt for the 70-degree weather you’ll feel in the afternoon, but throw a sweater, blazer or cardigan over top for the chilly mornings.
Once the sun begins beating down on you, throw a knot in the layer of your choice and wear it around your waist.
Pro tip: If you don’t want to wear a sweater around your waist, wear a sweater vest over a thin long-sleeve shirt. Not only is it stylish, but it will also keep you warm in the morning, but cool in the afternoon. A white or black sweater vest over a brown or orange color is a fall staple.
Speaking of fall staples…
Flannels
Is it really fall if you’re not breaking out the Hollister flannels? The best thing about a flannel is the versatility. You can wear it around your waist, buttoned-up, tied into a knot as a crop top or as a top layer over a plain-colored shirt.
At 8 a.m., you can button it up to stay warm on the way to class, and then on your way to the Student Union for lunch, you can tie it around your waist to keep away the sweat.
If you really want to hone in on the Starbucks-fall-autumn Tumblr aesthetic, add black leggings and a
pull yours out the closet as well. The black or brown bootie with a fallcolored sweater is unmatched.
Hoodies
Let’s face it, hoodies are life-savers. In the summer when you’re around a bonfire or when it’s below freezing in the dead of winter, you go for that same hoodie. No shame in it. Grab that comfort hoodie with a regular T-shirt underneath. The hoodie is perfect for the chilly morning or a cold classroom, and you have the T-shirt as backup if the weather changes.
Accessories
For a fall outfit to be great, you need a scarf or beanie; I don’t make the rules. A classic CC beanie still goes a long way with me.
A nice beanie in a fall color with a puff ball on the top will keep your ears warm during the morning and is easy enough to tuck away in a bag if the day heats up. But if you’re not like other girls, any beanie will work.
Scarfs can be even more versatile than the beanie. There are about 101 different ways to tie a scarf; just Google it and choose the one you feel suits the outfit. And if you can’t stand it around your neck anymore, now you have a cute fall belt.
Boots
My off-brand Doc Martens are coming out to play, and I suggest you
Whether your fall boots are a Walmart original or a pair of Doc Martens, they will complement the fall aesthetic.
If you’re worried about your feet getting hot, wear thinner socks. But as the weather gets colder, I would recommend getting a size up that allows you to wear thicker socks, and potentially room to add HotHands warmers for the toes.
Invest in a fall coat OK, we all know how the first winter of our freshman year went. Our mothers warned us to grab that winter coat, and we didn’t listen. Hopefully by now, you’ve got a winter coat, but it’s not time to pull it out of the closet just yet.
If you have the extra funds, invest in a fall coat. Most of the time, these are felt-material and straight out of the Old Navy catalog. Like actually, go to Old Navy. They are super cute and thick enough to keep you cozy on a fall morning. The only downside is they are often ditched by mid-afternoon in early fall because it can get stuffy. Any coat with medium thickness will also suffice.
pumpkin spice latte to the fit.
Tribune News Service
Chris Martin of Coldplay performs onstage during Glastonbury Festival 2024 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 29 in Glastonbury, England.
Bryson Thadhani
Elijah Miles rocking a fall outfit as the weather starts to cool.
Courtesy Creative Commons
Liam Payne, known for being a former member of One Direction, died at an Argentinan hotel.
Non-traditional, transfer student support helps new students find way on campus
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Non-traditional transfer, first generation, mom of two, Catherine Miller does it all.
Raised in Pawhuska, Miller spent her childhood at the rodeo and then she discovered OSU.
“Whenever I got a little older and realized that there’s a school for cowboys, I was like, I have to do it, I want to do it,’” Miller said.
Miller didn’t know all the ins and outs of college and got off to a rocky start.
“I didn’t put forth the effort that I needed, your priorities have to be in line to go to school,” Miller said.
She quickly realized that the timing was not right and left OSU in 1999 to start a family.
“That’s the way it is for some people, go experience the world, come back and kind of have a rest,” Miller said.
Miller’s reset happened during the pandemic after the marketing company she worked for went bankrupt. Miller lost her car, house and was lost for what to do, but she quickly set a path forward.
“I was like ‘I have to do something,’” Miller said. “Because all of the jobs that I’m trying to apply for, you have to have an education.”
Now 25 years later Miller is back on campus studying business as a non-traditional transfer student from northern Oklahoma. Coming back to college was not enough for Miller she decided to get involved.
Miller got connected with the student support offices where she met her mentor.
“Cheryl needed somebody like me... I know what transfer kids need, because not only am I one, but I’m raising two, and there’s just so much more.”
Now, as an ambassador for transfer students Miller helps other transfer students, traditional and non-traditional, find their way.
“A lot of people say that they see my face around cam-
pus here,” Miller said. “I just like to be involved and make use of my time here .”
Transferring can be scary, but Miller said that the process is easier than you think and that there is always someone willing to help, including her.
“They don’t need to be scared because this is literally the friendliest college in America,” Miller said. “Honestly I have been to a lot of college campuses, and there’s nothing like Oklahoma State. There’s just a sense of home.”
That sense of home is something the student support team at OSU is always working to build.
“We talk about the cowboy family and we see it branded in places, but I really think that it goes beyond a brand,”
Director of Student Support Scott Alexander said. “It goes to really a way of being in the world, a way of interacting with people.”
Non-traditional and transfer student support coordinator Kiera works with the traditional college students and non-traditional students, including families.
Miller is back at school with her daughters and said that it is a unique experience.
“When my daughters have problem with chemistry, algebra two, stats or something I’m like ‘hey girl, I did this. If I can do it, you can do it,’” Miller said.
For Miller helping people is just apart of who she is as a person.
“I don’t mind being the forerunner and making a path cutting through the trees or something, but I really like to use my experiences to help give advice to people that are just unsure and uncertain.”
Miller’s No. 1 piece of advice to students planning on transferring or new to campus is to give it everything they have and don’t do college halfway.
“That is something that I try and talk to newer people about, that they’re really struggling ‘like oh I might want to be a hairdresser, I think that I want to be a graphic designer.’ If that’s what’s in your heart, that’s what you have to do,” Miller said.
To achieve those dreams, students need people who care and Brunson and Alexander said that they are not the single phone call types.
“Let me go a step beyond, and make sure that you get the answer to the question that you have,”Brunson said. “Get you connected to the person you need to talk with to walking people to the offices instead of just giving them directions.”
It’s all about helping students find their place at OSU and Brunson, Miller and Alexander work hard to make it happen getting students plugged in and involved.
Transfer students add a new element to the OSU community. They are students that picked OSU as their landing platform, and that sets them apart from your typical four year student.
“They have a lot of passion, drive and desire to achieve, to add in the communities and spaces they find themselves in,” Alexander said. There’s a whole lot that they bring and we want to foster that support that provides avenues for expression.”
That drive and passion distinguishes them, but at the end of the day they are apart of the cowboy family.
“They just want to become a part of what the OSU community already is,” Brunson said.
After four years Miller is ready to graduate and to take on the next chapter, but she leaves behind some advice for all students.
“As a transfer, non-traditional or traditional student, step out of your comfort zone,” Miller said. “In order to succeed, you’re going to need to get outside of your own thoughts and dont compare yourself.”
To celebrate transfer students, the student support offices are hosting National Transfer Student Week starting Monday to celebrate transfer students and their unique journey and what they bring to campus.
“It’s celebrating who they are, while also getting to highlight them and recognize them on campus,” Brunson said.
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Campus Life offers support to both traditional and non-traditional students.
Indigenous
Continued from 1
Wapskineh graduated from OSU in 1999 and remembers advocating for Indigenous Peoples’ Day with NASA.
Wapskineh helped host an open mic on Columbus Day to spark debate and education.
“That was way before it was Indigenous Peoples’ Day, so we and a lot of students on other campuses (who) were trying to set the stage of sharing that history.”
In 2021, the President Joe Biden’s administration formally recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Several states nationwide celebrate Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, while others celebrate only one. Oklahoma is one of 18 states that observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Twenty-five years later, Wapskineh is watching her son play stickball and celebrating the day at OSU. Wapskineh said every day is Indigenous Peoples’ Day for her.
“I celebrate every day, you know, because I really feel staying connected to my traditions and to my language is really important, but on a special day like this, it just really brings with me the people that I care about and the people that I love and celebrating it together,”
Wapskineh said.
Monday’s student-led event helped raise awareness for the different organizations around campus.
“It’s really to raise awareness because it’s not something that a lot of people know about, and Native Americans are often a very overlooked minority, and to highlight them is important,” Burkett said.
Burkett is from Durant and is a member of the Choctaw Nation. She became involved on campus the second she arrived at OSU. Burkett said that putting a spotlight on the Native American community is important.
“It’s just to raise awareness because it’s not something a lot of people know about, and Native Americans are often a very overlooked minority and to highlight them is really important,” Burkett said.
Macie Hocutt is Cherokee and grew up not knowing that many people in Oklahoma knew little about Native American culture.
“I’m from northeast Oklahoma, where everybody and their mom is Native American, so I never realized that people don’t really have the knowledge, so it’s cool that we do things
like this to spread awareness,” Hocutt said.
Hocutt is the president of Alpha Pi Omega. When she is not working hard to raise awareness on campus, she is heavily involved with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Movement (MMIW), a movement devoted to promoting the safety of Native American women.
“Native women are more likely to be involved in domestic abuse or go missing and get kidnapped, and just because of the lack of resources,” Hocutt said.
As Hocutt works to combat abuse and harm toward Native American women, she said she is happy to be a part of an organization that gives her a chance to celebrate with her fellow students.
“It’s cool that we are doing things like this to spread awareness,” Hocutt said.
NASA member and avid stickball player Rodney Stryker is part of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe. When he is not spending his summers stomp dancing, he gets involved with NASA. Like Hocutt and Burkett, his goal is to grow campus engagement and knowledge.
“I feel like not a lot of people here know about us, even though we’re in Oklahoma,” Stryker said. “Just nobody knows, so trying to get it out there.”
Understanding the significance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day is no small thing. Sky Rogers, assistant director for the OSU Center of Sovereign Nations and the NASA co-adviser of NASA said Oklahomas, especially, need to understand the role Native Americans play in the state.
“We are Indian territory,” Rogers said. ”It’s important for the people to know that there are 39 sovereign tribal nations here and that sovereignty is so important because each of them has their own, not only culture but government systems and tribal jurisdiction.”
Rogers tells any students, native or not, that they are welcome to get involved with the different Native American organizations. She encourages everyone at Oklahoma State to be curious.
“It’s totally up to them (students), but we’re in Oklahoma, which is Indian Territory,” Rogers said. “Just by being here, knowing about the place that you are at and about the original inhabitants, well not really the original inhabitants, we were brought here, but knowing about the place that you are since OSU is a land-grant university.”
Bryson Thadhani
Students standing in line for Kona Ice outside of Life Sciences East as part of the
Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations on Monday.
Payton Little
Students share culture at International Expo
President Nadia Bekoe,
the expo is just one example of the sense of community at OSU international students feel.
Hungry for a slice of culture?
The International Student Organization (ISO) turned the International Mall into a culinary extravaganza Wednesday.
Students enjoyed various dishes from the international student organizations, including the Latin American Student Association’s (LASA) homemade tamales to the Korean Student Association’s (KSA) Tteokbokki.
Non-international and international students crowded the space behind Edmon Low Library, buying multiple dishes and chatting with the different organizations about their cultures.
ISO President Kaushalya Jayathilake said the event allows the many international student organizations to share their culture in a fun, interactive way.
“This is a platform we give through their own cuisines they can share their own cultures, their traditions, and their own values,” Jayathilake said.
ISO gives international students a home, and the International Expo brings the idea of home to the table.
“Coming here, far away, staying here, far away from our homes, it’s not easy,” Jayathilake said. “We are kind of adapting, but at the same time doing these kinds of things.”
Traversing the many tables overflowing with snacks, drinks, desserts and main courses, students found themselves connecting over a universal favorite: food.
LASA President Christian Jimenez served up some empanadas and tres leches, drawing a crowd. Jimenez said the expo makes introductions easier.
“I feel it doesn’t just make us get more involved; it makes us have an actual community,” Jimenez said. “It helps students a lot, especially connecting with other Latin American students on campus.”
For graduate student and African Student Organization (ASO) Vice
“When we come here, we want to find a community, and that is how we find ourselves in the African Student Organization,” Bekoe said. “So, it’s more like a place away from home where we just meet together and know that you have someone to rely on, know that you’re not alone, because we are miles away from the United States.”
The ASO brought a variety of spicy dishes to the table including coconut rice, fried plantain and roasted chicken.
The delectable assortment gave students wandering the area a taste of Africa.
“We have a rich culture, we have good music, we have good food, we have everything,” Bekoe said. “So, if people get to know about us, we want to put ourselves out there so that people can really get to know us.”
A few steps down the sidewalk from ASO brought students to the KSA table overflowing with plum tea, Samgak-gimbap and Jeyuk Cupbap. John Kim, a graduate student studying psychology with hopes of becoming a psychology professor, said the expo exposes more students to what international students bring to OSU.
“I think it really helps to let people know that there’s a lot of people from different countries participating in the school,” Kim said.
The International Expo is all about good food and good friends, but for many international students it is so much more.
The expo brings a home away from home to campus, making the transition to OSU easier.
“For me, personally, this gives me the feeling that there’s some connection to our roots, and we never forget them,” Jayathilake said. “It’s important that we feel we still have a connection to our home country, not to completely detach from it, but to adapt into a completely new, different environment.”
Children
Continued from 1
“(Dogs are) supposed to be on leash, but I’m not arguing,” Simpson said. “The dog is happy, so let her go. And so, when they come in for day camp and they’re scared because it smells like a vet, it smells like other dogs; they think, we’re a vet, and then they learn, ‘Whoa, nothing is the same.’”
Zora and Hoss’ stories are similar to almost all the dogs Simpson has seen in her 3.5 years working at the resort, but once the dog gets past the scariness of a new environment, their experiences can be life-changing.
Each dog attending day camp must be spayed or neutered, and undergo a temperament test. During the test, a camp counselor will take the new dog out on a slip lead, and other camp counselors will also slip lead the most highenergy dogs in the play pin. Then, the body language presented by the new pup will determine if they can interact well with other dogs.
Once a dog passes the test, they get to experience play areas inside and outside, sometimes with 10 or more other furry friends, all separated by the size of the breed. From a ball pit to a small pool of water, the dogs experience new sensations, socialization and exercise.
Stillwater resident Kristen Sample has a 5-year-old miniature Australian Shepherd who visits day camp often. Kristen said Lippy felt at home and safe immediately.
“They play outside and in the summer, have pools to cool off in and play with other dogs their size and with the people who work there,” Sample said. “Lippy is queen of the pool and likes to try to get her friends to play with her.”’
Lippy is one of the day campers that had a fun and bubbly personality, making humans around her smile even on the worst days, Sample said. But not every dog fits the descriptions of a “spayed and neutered” dog that “behaves well with people and other dogs.”
But SPPR does not discriminate. Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. OSU linebacker Kendal Daniels houses his rottweiler at SPPR, and he is fully intact and aggressive toward other dogs. He is boarded in a special kennel, for first-class lodging, with outside access.
“Kenai… he has dragged one of our camp counselors across the field, and he is very strong,” Simpson said. “I moved him in here because he can’t be anywhere else. The owner, he does great for, Kendal (Daniels), it’s just in here (the kennel).”
For OSU fans who are rushing to Boone Pickens Stadium to watch Daniels play, SPPR offers a game day boarding service. For $37, a cat or dog can experience a full day of day camp and stay until one hour after the game ends, instead of 6 p.m., when SPPR typically closes.
Even if the animal needs accommodations like Kenai, they can experience the same love they get
from their owners during SPPR services, regardless of the circumstances. One service in particular used often for those confined in the kennel — the kennels often supplied with TVs, blankets, beds and their own personal toys — is the Touch-Love-Cuddle program. For an additional $18, the dog will be showered with attention for an entire hour.
“For TLCs, you want those cuddlers, those nervous Nellies, those old ladies, those old men, the little bitty nervous systems,” Simpson said. “You go in there and you just love them and hug them, and you come out covered in dog hair, but that dog is happy and ready for napping.”
Lippy has experienced the loving treatment of not only the TLC, but also the luxury suite when boarding. When Sample has gone out of town, Lippy has lived it up. Her suite came with a kennel decorated as a house, with a fireplace, tiny sofa and TV. “Santa Buddies” is one of the popular movies among the SPPR residents, and Lippy is more than familiar with the tale.
“For their boarding, she was in a suite that had a TV, which they play movies and a video cam I can watch 24/7,” Sample said. “They also have different packages like if you want your dog to have special cuddle time.”
For parents like Sample who want to check in with their pets, the webcam access is 24/7 in the luxury suites. Parents of cats staying in Kitty City, the feline room, also have welcome access. Cats each get to lodge in their separate condos, with a rotation for each cat to roam the room.
One cat in particular in Kitty City was quarantined because she did not yet have the feline leukemia vaccine, but it did not keep her from being able to be boarded. Exceptions like this are made to adhere to the need and safety of each animal.
The air duct system is one way the resort keeps illness contained when it does arise. The Kitty City air duct and the maternal ward, an area designated only for Dr.
Joseph McCann, one of the owners of Baker Animal Clinic, the vet which owns SPPR. The dog room has its own air duct equipped with an air scrubber to combat respiratory illness. If any illness does occur, everything is pulled to be sanitized, which also happens on a daily basis.
“We don’t play around,” Simpson said. “We are very, very thorough on cleaning. The kennels are cleaned every single morning, and we provide all stainless steel (bowls). They’re all hand-washed, then they’re allowed to go in the dishwasher, then they’re allowed to be done and sanitized.”
SPPR is not only good enough for OSU football players and Stillwater residents, it also becomes a vacation spot for dogs in Pete’s Pet Posse, OSU’s pet therapy program. Howard, a 2-year-old Bluie Fluffy Pembrooke Welsh Corgi, attends day camp every week with his dogsibling Chai, a Lab Staffordshire Terrier mix.
Chai is a rescue puppy, who is nervous when he is not around Howard.
“Maybe six or seven weeks ago, we started taking him (Howard) and his neurotic brother once a week, and Howard loves it,” said Rebecca Brienen, Howard’s mom and handler. “He (Howard) is like the emotional support dog for Chai. He (Howard) has to go with him (Chai), and stay in the littles area, even though he’s bigger.”
As a dog with a nervous nature, Chai is allowed to stay with his sibling. The day camp allows him to socialize and get out of his shell, but safely in an environment he can handle.
In cases like Chai’s, his safety, health and wellbeing are prioritized. Each dog and cat gets this treatment, whether they are day campers or boarding overnight.
“Your dog should be treated as you expect, behind closed doors, as you would want your dog (or cat) treated, “ Simpson said. “That’s our goal.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Maya Blanks
Heidi Simpson, the manager of the Stay and Play resort, cuddling a cat.
Members of FarmHouse Fraternity return to Stillwater
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
After three days in Tennessee, 15 members of FarmHouse Fraternity are back in Stillwater.
Corbin Lacy and his brothers assisted in Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Butler, Tennessee, last weekend. The group cleared trees and debris, distributed supplies and helped get the rebuilding process started.
The group drove more than 14 hours to help people in need. They traversed the states with three UHauls filled with supplies including 10 chainsaws and four generators. In total, the group raised more than $21,000 in donations in six days.
After arriving, the group met up with locals, unloaded supplies and got to work.
“There was a river in these people’s backyard, and it was where the biggest impact happened,” Lacy said. “The houses we went to, a few of them were washed away; they had campers flipped over right outside in the front yard, trees down.”
The group helped multiple people during the trip in various ways. One family needed its hardwood floors torn out, and the guys didn’t hesitate to help. FarmHouse member Peyton Legrand said they turned a month’s work into a day’s work for free.
Living in a mountainous town, many did not have flood insurance and will have to pay for many of the repairs out of their own pocket.
“All the labor we have been able to go do is going to save them so much money,” Lacy said.
One woman Lacy and Legrand helped had not laid eyes on her home since the hurricane hit more than two weeks ago. Lacy said her home had shifted at least 50 feet.
“It was super sad and heartbreaking to see her so distraught,” Lacy said. “All three of her cars were totaled; her camper was nowhere to be seen.”
The trip exposed the FarmHouse members to some hard truths for those recovering.
“It was really an eye-opening experience for everyone in FarmHouse,” Lacy said. “This doesn’t really impact our lives being from here, we still have a bed to sleep in. She doesn’t have anywhere to sleep, and it’s a real life thing for
her.”
The hurricane hit more than three weeks ago, but the damage is going to take months, possibly years to repair. Lacy and Legrand said they were happy to help in whatever way they could.
“So much was impacted and so much was destroyed,” Legrand said. “So the stuff that we delivered, it looks like such a little impact. It’s kind of cool to see something so little to us be so impactful to them.”
The impact was felt throughout the community in more ways than one. A highlight of the trip for Lacy, Legrand and the locals was unloading supplies at a local church. As the members of FarmHouse got to work, they started talking with the locals and trading stories.
Two different cultures collided, and soon Lacy and his brothers were singing their rendition of “Friends in Low Places” and “Oklahoma.” The Tennesseans responded with their favorite ballad “Rocky Top.”
Despite everything, the people of Butler found joy in the little moments.
“It was good to see everyone in good spirts,” Legrand said. “They’ve never been down to Oklahoma before, and it was cool to see different culture combine.”
Lacy said that long after the news coverage ends, people need to keep the people affected by Hurricane Helene in their hearts and minds.
“That’s when a lot of people forget about them,” Lacy said. “They’re going to be rebuilding for a couple of years.”
Mika Webb, Corbin’s friend and co-organizer of the trip, said it would not have been possible without the community response and Lacy’s drive to get things done.
“If Corbin (Lacy) and I hadn’t acted on that feeling, we wouldn’t have been able to show these families the love and support they needed. It’s a powerful reminder that when we step up, incredible things can happen,” Webb said.
As of right now, the guys do not have plans to travel back to Tennessee. Homecoming and busy semester schedules make finding time to go difficult, but they’d like to try and go back in the spring.
“We’ll for sure keep them in our minds and prayers and be talking to them and just seeing if they need us to come up” Lacy said.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Latina
“I was just ready to be a part of something bigger,” Casillas said. “Coming here to OSU, there’s just so many more resources and things to get involved in, especially for the community. And I was introduced to Sigma Lambda Gamma, because I went to a Greek Discovery Day event here at OSU.”
Sigma Lambda Gamma is a multicultural sorority with chapters on more than 130 college campuses nationwide. Five Latina women founded it April 9, 1990, at the University of Iowa, according to the Sigma Lambda Gamma website. The sorority was founded on the principles of morals and ethics, social interaction, academics, community service and cultural awareness.
Casillas kept up with the sorority’s rush events, which she was eager to attend with her sister Alondra in the fall. They agreed to keep their sorority preferences private so they would not influence each other’s final decisions.
“But we both (knew) Gamma caught our eye just because everybody was so welcoming and so nice,” Casillas said.
The sisters rushed Sigma Lambda Gamma, and Casillas is now the sorority’s social media chair and recruitment chair. They gained a new group of sisters, with the sorority’s total membership at 13 girls this semester.
Although most panhellenic sororities’ membership numbers are much greater, Sigma Lambda Gamma’s size is what made it attractive to Mariany Suarez, an economics pre-dental major sophomore from Midwest City.
“I feel like, because I’m so small, they’re (panhellenic sororities are) too big for me to significantly make an impact,” Suarez said. “So I joined the Multicultural Greek Council, because I could do more here, not only for my sorority, but for the community.”
Suarez’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, a background her peers did not always relate to. Sigma Lambda Gamma connected her to women with similar backgrounds, such as Janice Diaz De Leon, a junior applied exercise major from Tulsa.
Diaz De Leon found people she con-
A SPECIAL PEOPLE!
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Pet.2:9-10 NIV)
The apostle Peter is writing to a people who previously had no real relationship with God, but as they came to Christ, to trust and follow him all things changed. They are now special people, a pure people, chosen to be a special group who were taken from spiritual darkness. They are God’s people!
If you have come to Jesus, and received forgiveness of your sins; this is also your new condition. The Apostle Paul said it this way; “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Co.5:17 NIV)
We are the people of God and we have sto ry to tell. We can proclaim it clearly and sincerely to all. This happened to me in Japan, November, 1956. I heard the good news of Christ and things begin to change in my life. Jesus became real and began leading my life. It has been an adventure, learning to fellowship and walk with the Lord. I have made many mistakes, but the Lord keeps encouraging me to keep following Him.
The God, who has started a good work in me and you (fellow believer) will finish it with eternal consequences. All through the ages to come we get to experience life with Christ. If you have not yet put your trust in Him and begin following him. I urge you to do It now. He is faithful to lead your life into the best (sometimes difficult) things and will glorify Himself and produce lasting blessings. It’s open to al!.
nected with at college, but not within Sigma Lambda Gamma. It was with a different organization called SEAK, Sisters Empowering Academics in all Cultures. The other members made her feel comfortable being herself, and the organization’s values aligned with her own.
Eleven founders helped SEAK transition into Sigma Lambda Gamma, with Diaz De Leon as one of them. She is now Sigma Lambda Gamma’s president.
She books a room on campus each week for the sorority’s chapter meeting, usually in Legacy Hall. Each member of the sorority has a chair position because of its small size.
Stephanie Landaverde, community service chair and biology pre-med senior from Stillwater, said Sigma Lambda Gamma has taught her time management skills.
Landaverde’s mother immigrated here from El Salvador, a connection that has always been important to Landaverde. She said she feels a deep connection to the Spanish language and to her heritage, and she thinks it is important to maintain these connections as someone raised in the U.S.
Landaverde used to view sororities as a social organization where you made friends and had the occasional community service event. She learned they could be more after attending a Sigma Lambda Gamma recruitment event.
“I didn’t know that was something that a sorority could do, like, have these values, like wanting to promote academics and community service, cultural awareness, things like that,” Landaverde said. “I had a very kind of oblivious view of what Greek life is.”
She is busy between studying and sorority duties, but she said being a Sigma Lambda Gamma is never a chore. Being a sister gifted her a group of study buddies, and her sisters also prioritize academics.
Although the Sigma Lambda Gammas meet once a week for chapter, they meet informally many other times a week on the third floor of the library. They often laugh and catch up as much as they study.
“I went to that (recruitment) event because I was invited by someone that I knew, but I stayed because of the values, and not only just because of the values, but because every single girl in the chapter really tries to uphold those values,” Landaverde said.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Lilian Easter
(From left to right) Mirka Rodríguez, Sara Scott and Jennifer Ortega-Mata show off the notes they made for breast cancer awareness at Willard Hall on Wednesday.
Courtesy Mika Webb
Members of FarmHouse Fraternity help a family repair damages from Hurricane Helene.
‘Outer Banks’ off to lackluster start
Netflix’s hit series “Outer Banks” released the first five episodes of its fourth season, and it’s a rudderless vessel.
Before we dive in, let me clarify. I like this show. I can look past people who look older than me playing 17-yearolds and some of the goofy plot lines, but this time, our intrepid Pogues are after Blackbeard’s treasure.
The unidirectional path does not really resolve until a final twist at the end of episode five, which means that there are five episodes of set-up.
The lack of an overarching villain contributes to the muddled storyline. In season three, Ward Cameron (Charles Esten) and Sarah Cameron’s (Madelyn Cline) father, died (for real this time… I think). His loss is felt in the series because he was horrible, but as a villain, he was perfect.
The first season set up the mystery surrounding his character and made his identity as the killer somewhat obvious, but his manipulative nature and drive to do anything to protect himself set him apart as a villain. He had three seasons to get comfortable with viewers and build a storyline, and now the showrunners are scrambling to find a character to fill Ward’s shoes.
At first, I thought Rafe Cameron (Drew Starkey) would be the next big bad. His descent into insanity, kickstarted by his gas lighting father, set him up to be the Pogue’s next big issue, but no. He spends these first five episodes floundering and making no significant plays. I think those in charge want to see a redemption arc for Rafe and can’t afford to push his character too far.
The villain this time around is Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane), a man who covets the treasure of Blackbeard. His father-in-law, Wes Genrette (David Jensen), hires the down-on-their-luck Pogues to track down the treasure because he believes it is the key to ending a curse on his family.
Chandler is working with a real estate mogul to undermine his father-in-law for the treasure. He eventually kills Wes, putting Sherrif Shoupe (Cullen Moss) back on the Pogues’ trail.
The Pogues are doing their thing as usual. The first episode jumps back in time to show what the Pogues were
up to 18 months before the plot of this season. We watch them blow their savings from the El Dorado find. Let’s face it: JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow) wastes their savings.
The group builds a small business and operates well until things dry up after a bad storm. JJ, in his infinite wisdom, bets the rest of their money on a dirt-bike race against the Kooks, which goes poorly.
So, here we are with our brave heroes down for the count, but they discover their story is in the paper. They grab the attention, cash and a proposition. Find Blackbeard’s treasure and get paid.
The usual suspects, Pope Heyward (Jonathan Davis) and John B. Rutledge (Chase Stokes), have reservations, but JJ once again gets the group right into it, agreeing without questioning anything.
This season, JJ serves as a catalyst for everything that goes wrong with the group’s
luck. His brash decision-making drives the plot forward. One minute, the Pogues are making smart decisions, and the next, they are knee-deep in stupidity.
Although some of JJ’s behavior makes sense because of his abusive father and rough childhood, the writers overuse his anger. It is hard to notice at first that JJ is the season’s focus. Typically, it is John B, but with the reveal that JJ is the son of Larissa Genrette, Wes’ daughter who drowned, JJ is firmly in the spotlight.
Let’s talk about John B and Sarah. No matter how silly I find it, these two lovebirds seem fully cemented in their relationship, but we will see. I am sure something will come along to mess up their romance.
John B.’s character arc throughout the episodes is his fight to distinguish himself from his father. It is subtle up until the final episode, where John B. pulls a gun on this
season’s antagonist but decides not to shoot after remembering a time his dad killed a man in front of him.
Pope and Cleo are the perfect duo, and you can’t change my mind. They are the least problematic couple in the show, and they are a smart and cunning team.
Speaking of couples, Sofia and Rafe weird me out. Sofia appeared last season and is now playing a significant role. I honestly do not understand their relationship. Rafe seems still hung up over whatever he felt for Kiara Carrera (Madison Bailey) before she went Pogue.
Topper is, well, Topper (Austin North). He teeters between friend and foe, but mostly because Sarah hurt his feelings. The “Outsiders” style showdowns between Pogue and Kook are back and more prevalent this time around.
There is a lot of weirdness in the show — there usually is — but it still works. This is a stylized teen drama, and going
in with that mindset makes the show a lot more fun. These characters might look older, but they are still playing idiot 17-year-olds who think they know everything.
Something this show does well is capture the vibes of youth at the beach. The music is always on point, and there are several scenes featuring the characters just living in the scene. The actors are good at having fun. It feels like the crew is capturing candid moments, and maybe it is.
Overall, this is not the strongest start to the season; there is room for improvement. Hopefully, with the big twist at the end of the fifth episode, things will start to get interesting. I fear that this show is entering the realm of making a show just to make it. We’ve seen it before: storylines spiral, characters make dumb decisions and the show’s original purpose is lost. So please, “Outer Banks” do not “Riverdale” yourself.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Courtesy @obx
Netflix released part 1 of the fourth season of hit series, “Outer Banks” on Oct. 10. Part two releases on Nov. 7.
WHEN: Friday, 9:15 p.m. (CST)
WHERE: LaVell Edwards Stadium
Net Gains
BY PARKER GERL I ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR I
Chad Weiberg is accustomed to the question.
The Oklahoma State athletic director is aware that it’s been abour 50 years since the school fielded a women’s volleyball team. He knows that despite OSU’s size and athletic prowess, it’s one of the few Power Four schools without one.
And not just because he’s heard it
from fans.
“My daughter plays volleyball,” Weiberg told The O’Colly last week.
“Whenever I get asked by fans (why OSU doesn’t have volleyball), I usually say, ‘Look, there’s nothing you’re going to say to me that I haven’t already heard at home from my wife and daughter.’
“I love the sport. I’ve been at other schools that have the sport. It’s a great sport.”
‘I’m excited to go out there and just let it all hang’
Garret Rangel set to start for OSU against BYU
how he felt heading into his first start of the season.
In theory, now would be the time for OSU to add a volleyball program. The sport is exploding in popularity — this year’s season opener between Nebraska and Kentucky set an ESPN average viewership record for a regular season match of 344,000, and more than 3.6 million people attended college volleyball matches last season — OSU is aware of that growth. However, the school’s athletic budget and the ongoing House v. NCAA class-
action lawsuit make it tricky to add a new sport to its portfolio.
With the direction in which college athletics appears headed, Weiberg and athletic directors across the country have a lot on their plates.
“(The future model of college athletics) is potentially going to speak directly to who is going to continue to be competitive at the highest level,” Weiberg said.
on page 4B
‘She sets the tone’ Why Bindbeutel is blossoming in her natural position
When quarterback Garret Rangel has been thrown into action at Oklahoma State, it’s never truly been his job to lose.
That’s likely to change Friday.
The O’Colly has learned that signs point toward Rangel starting against No. 13 BYU and that redshirt freshman Zane Flores is second on the quarterback depth chart ahead of seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman, who has started the first six games, and freshman Maealiuaki Smith.
Last week, Rangel appeared on the QB Lifestyle Podcast, where he didn’t push back on a question about him set to start against the Cougars. Host Damian Williams said the phrase multiple times before Rangel responded with
“I feel like all the hard work and preparation we had just from my freshman year to last year to this year, it’s finally paying off, and I’m excited to go out there and just let it all hang next week against BYU,” Rangel said.
OSU head coach Mike Gundy said Monday at his weekly press conference that his staff would “work all of (their) guys” in practice this week. This came after a 38-14 loss to West Virginia, in which Bowman was benched for Rangel for the second time in three games.
In that outing, Rangel looked more collected — 4-of-5 passing for 75 yards and a touchdown — than against Utah, where he went 3 of 11 for 31 yards.
But with more than a week of preparation, Rangel is set to lead the Cowboys in Provo. It’s something that those closest to him know he’s up for.
See RANGEL on page 2B
From the second Gracie Bindbeutel stepped on the pitch at Neal Patterson Stadium, it was clear Oklahoma State had found a future star.
Her nonstop motor, undying aggression and tantalizing speed stood out, and now, two years later, that talent is finally on full display for everyone to see. Bindbeutel’s path to becoming one of OSU’s most dynamic attackers took pitstops in doctors’ offices and defensive positions, but finally, she is in her natural position and looking every bit the star many thought she would be. As a freshman, Bindbeutel displayed
her potential and positional versatility, starting all 17 matches she played in and being named to the All-Big 12 Freshman team. She approached the 2023 spring season with an opportunity to become a key player as a sophomore. Then, in the first match of the spring season, Bindbeutel tore her ACL. The injury kept her out of the 2023-24 season.
Bindbeutel’s recovery went as planned, and she got back on the field a year later for the 2024 spring season. In limited minutes, she was back on her game immediately.
“The second she stepped on the field, I knew she was there a hundredpercent,” sophomore midfielder Laudan Wilson said. “She looked a hundredpercent from the second she stopped. (She looked like) She never stopped.”
See TONE on page 5B
File Photo
OSU quarterback Garret Rangel is set to make his first start of the season against BYU.
Rangel
“Even though you’re going to prepare like you’re the number one guy — I know Garret has — it’s just different being in there running the show,” said Jeff Rayburn, Rangel’s high school coach.
“So for him to have the ability to prepare to be the number one guy, I think it’s gonna be huge and really beneficial for him and the team.
“...He’s been put in some tough spots — some good, some bad, some ugly — but now that he’s having this opportunity, I think we’ll see the best of Garret Rangel.”
The makings of a college QB
When Rayburn first saw Rangel, he was a skinny, tall kid, the coach recalls with a laugh.
But one thing was for sure.
“He could sling the rock and had a high football IQ,” Rayburn said. “You could feel the ‘it’ factor.”
That ability and “it” factor combined with Rangel’s “intense competitive nature” made him a four-star prospect out of high school, and he eventually chose OSU over Utah, Virginia Tech, Houston and other programs.
At Lone Star High School, Rangel quickly rose the ranks and starred as a senior, going 127-of-187 passing for 2,049 yards, 24 touchdowns and three interceptions.
He landed at OSU wanting to play, but after the 2021 team’s success and Spencer Sanders returning at quarterback, that seemed uncertain right away. But it happened.
Finally his time
When Rangel played as a freshman, he was thrown to the wolves.
The 2022 OSU team was injuryridden and far removed from its Fiesta Bowl-winning form from the year prior,
and in Week 10, Rangel started his first collegiate game on the road against Kansas.
In that start and his other two starts (against WVU to end the regular season and against Wisconsin in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl), Rangel completed 51.8% of his passes for 711 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.
In 2023, he battled against Bowman and Gunnar Gundy in a three-quarterback rotation, which Bowman, with his at-the-time six years of experience, came out of as the leading man. In the first three games of the season, Rangel totaled 172 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 51.1% completion percentage while splitting reps.
Now, though, after two outings as a relief for Bowman, Rangel is set for an increased role for a Cowboy team in need of a win after sliding to 3-3 (0-3 Big 12).
“It seemed like from Coach Gundy playing Garret Rangel, they wanted to see what he can do,” former OSU quarterback Clint Chelf told The O’Colly during OSU’s bye week. “And so, I think it’s only fair that if that’s the case that you give him the proper runway to prepare that you play a game.
“...I would love to see Rangel get a shot, just because he’s been a guy that could have very easily left and he loves it in Stillwater and he stayed.”
Now, Rangel’s been given the runway that Chelf said a quarterback would long for. Chelf would know; he, too, was in position battles during his time at OSU.
All he needs to do is seize his opportunity.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the kid that he is,” Rayburn said. “...Now he’s got an opportunity, and I’ve got no doubt he’s going to go take the reins on this thing.”
O’Colly writers Parker Gerl and Daniel Allen contributed to the reporting in this story.
‘The Boys From Oklahoma’ ticket demand skyrocketed, funds to benefit NIL efforts
PARKER GERL ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PARKER_GERL
Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg didn’t expect three extra “The Boys From Oklahoma” concerts to be scheduled, but he is certainly glad about it.
On Oct. 1, Cross Canadian Ragweed, a band that has Stillwater origins, announced it would play its first concert in 14 years and coheadline an April show at Boone Pickens Stadium with Turnpike Troubadours.
What started as a one-night-only performance turned into a four-show spectacle after ticket demand skyrocketed — which is good news for OSU Athletics, as the shows will benefit its name, image and likeness efforts.
“We had no idea that it would turn into four shows,” Weiberg told The O’Colly, “which is great, because whatever we were hoping for, it quadrupled now.”
More than 100,000 people registered for the presale, he said in an interview on Oct. 10.
“And that was accounts,” Weiberg said. “That was not the number of tickets people were interested in; that was just the number of people (who registered for the presale).”
The four-day event runs April 10-13. It’ll be the first-ever concert at BPS, the venue that’s been open since 2009.
Nowadays, unlike 15 years ago, benefits from shows and other events are being put toward athletic programs and NIL.
Texas A&M hosted a George Strait concert in June at its football stadium, Kyle Field, which brought the school a great return. A&M’s athletic director, Trev Alberts, said Strait’s show profited $3.9 million.
However, Kindra Fry, A&M’s assis-
tant athletics director for special events services, said that profit wasn’t what the university expected.
“I honestly would love to have seen more,” Fry said. “But every concert’s different, every artist is different, every touring group and management group is different... and so, I think some groups are gonna see a higher revenue and some you’re not. It’s just gonna vary.”
Still, though, Fry said the $3.9 million was a “bonus” that the university wasn’t expecting when budgeting for the year.
Although Weiberg said OSU doesn’t have a profit expectation, the school does know what it’ll do with its earnings.
“All of what comes to us will go to NIL,” Weiberg said. “But it’s not all going to us. In these things, the vast majority of it goes to the artists because that’s how they make their money... But yes, all of the proceeds that are ours will go to NIL.
“We’ve got ticket sales, but concessions and parking and all those things that happen at the actual show is going to factor into it. So, we won’t know (what we expect to make) for sure until April after the shows.”
Weiberg said OSU had been interested in hosting concerts at BPS for several years but struggled to find artists — potentially because of the promoters’ worries regarding “getting their stage in, getting it set up, getting them out and ready to go the next place,” among others.
Now, though, with Ragweed and Turnpike set to perform at BPS, Weiberg sees the show making way for future non-football ventures in a time where NIL requires athletic programs to get creative.
“I think one of the best things about the shows is now we have proof of concept,” Weiberg said. “… I think now we are going to be on the radar for a lot of those kinds of things in the future.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Bryson Thadhani
OSU quarterback Garret Rangel feels like his preparation is “finally paying off.”
Payton Little
Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said “all of what comes” to the university from the four
“The Boys From Oklahoma” shows will go toward NIL efforts.
Gundy’s 20th
Comparing this season’s coaches to those Gundy has fired in the past
left for Louisiana Tech after four seasons as DC in 2004, Vance Bedford left his job coaching the Chicago Bears defensive backs to become OSU’s DC.
Editor’s note: This is a story from “Gundy’s 20th,” The O’Colly’s weekly series to commemorate OSU football head coach Mike Gundy’s 20th season as the leading man. This week, we talk about firing coaches and the two times Gundy has done it.
When asked about making staff changes at his weekly Monday press conference, Mike Gundy said that’s never been “a big part” of who he’s been at Oklahoma State.
Let alone making a midseason staff change.
“I’ve never felt like there was a reason of a benefit for the current team to make a midseason change,” the OSU head coach said. “I know people do that, but you’re asking me specifically, and I have never seen a time when it would benefit the team to make a midseason change.”
With scrutiny coming from fans, media and everywhere in between regarding OSU’s staff after a 3-3 (0-3 Big 12) start to the season, let’s focus in on the two times Gundy has fired coaches and compare their units’ statistics during their time at OSU to two coaches who aren’t on the fans’ good side this season (offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn and defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo).
Although offensive line coach Charlie Dickey, too, has received scrutiny, he’s off this list because of the lack of direct stats to the offensive line as a unit. His effect the last few years can be seen in Dunn’s stats later, though.
Vance Bedford, defensive coordinator from 2005-06
After Will Clay (who now serves as a defensive analyst for OSU)
Under Clay, the Cowboys’ team defense ranking (based on yards allowed per game) was 58th in 2001, 69th in 2002, 58th in 2003 and 57th in 2004. A little below average — at the end of his tenure there were 120 FBS schools — but not too bad.
In Bedford’s two seasons, OSU’s defensive rankings were 97th (the worst in the Big 12 Conference) in 2005 and 82nd in 2006. Well below average.
Will Young, defensive coordinator from 2009-12
Once Tim Beckman left the DC job at OSU for a head coaching gig at Toledo, the Cowboys brought on Will Young, who had served a one-year tenure as Miami’s DC the season prior.
In Beckman’s two seasons, the Cowboys’ defensive rankings were 80th in 2007 and 77th in 2008.
There was a lot to improve upon.
With Young at the helm, the Cowboys were 31st in 2009, 61st in both 2010 and 2011 and 64th in 2012. Although Young’s numbers were at least average, this was at the time when the OSU program may have peaked, so expectations were high — average didn’t cut it.
The current coaches
Starting with Dunn, the one who’s been criticized the most. Before Dunn was promoted to OC in 2020, Sean Gleeson ran the offense for one season in 2019 and Mike Yurcich for six.
With Dunn in his fifth season as OC, let’s compare the five seasons before him.
First, Yurcich’s team offensive ranking (based on yards per game) in 2015 ranked 14th, 17th in 2016, fourth in 2017 and 13th in 2018. Dang good. In Gleeson’s lone sea-
son in 2019, the Cowboys ranked 36th — a step down, but still good.
Under Dunn, the Cowboys ranked 51st in 2020, 46th in 2021, 50th in 2022, 54th in 2023 and 57th so far this season. Usually around average.
With Nardo in his second season as DC, the two Cowboy defenses before him will be used for comparison. Under Jim Knowles in 2021, OSU’s defense ranked ninth. He then left for Ohio State. Derek Mason was brought in for one season, and his defense in 2022 ranked 89th. Knowles’ absence was felt.
In Nardo’s first season, the Cowboys ranked 91st in 2023, and so far this season, his unit ranks 90th. Since Knowles, the defense hasn’t been nearly the same.
Final thoughts
When Gundy fired Beford and Young, it was because Cowboy defenses under them either plummeted in rankings or didn’t meet the standard at the time.
When you look at the Cowboys’ offense under Dunn, it’s hard to compare it to Yurchich’s teams when he’s since moved up the college football ranks and churned out NFL talent at OSU. However, there is a decrease even from Gleeson’s lone season.
As for Nardo, it’s a similar tune, as being compared to Knowles and especially that 2021 defense are no easy tasks. Yet, even with tough comparisons, that was the bar set recently that Mason didn’t meet, and Nardo hasn’t in one and a half seasons.
Whether Gundy makes any staff changes is to be determined because the season is far from over, and that’s out of the norm for him. Nevertheless, the numbers say like Bedford and Young, Dunn and Nardo’s units have fallen off under them when comparing them to prior seasons.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
OSU goes 7-3 against BYU in 10 EA Sports College Football 25 simulations
still (!) hasn’t fumbled in any sim this season.
OSU is going to have its way in Provo against BYU on Friday, according to EA Sports College Football 25. I simulated the Cowboys’ road matchup against the Cougars 10 times and made it an 8 p.m. kick (the closest to 9:15 CST I could get it) with 15-minute quarters. Below are the results in The O’Colly weekly OSU game simulations.
Average result, score OSU went 7-3 against BYU, and the average score was OSU 26.1-20. The 6.1-point margin of victory meant EA Sports projected the Cowboys to cover the 9-point spread.
The over/under game total of 52.5 went under, as the game total average was 46.1.
Cowboy statistics
On average, OSU had 388 yards of total offense. BYU, on the other hand, had 340.5 yards of total offense.
Cowboy quarterback Alan Bowman started and completed 61.2% of his passes and threw for 200.9 passing yards, 1.1 touchdowns and 0.7 interceptions on average.
Running back Ollie Gordon II averaged 111.7 rushing yards and 0.4 rushing touchdowns. Gordon
As for the wide receivers, Brennan Presley averaged 4.2 receptions, 54.4 receiving yards and 0.4 receiving touchdowns; Rashod Owens averaged 3.4 receptions, 51.4 receiving yards and 0.4 touchdowns; and De’Zhaun Stribling averaged 2.8 receptions, 38.7 receiving yards and 0.3 receiving touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, safety Lyrik Rawls led the Cowboys in tackles five times (and tied with safety Ty Williams once), Trey Rucker led once (and tied with Williams twice), Cam Smith led once and Kody Walterscheid led once.
Finally, kicker Logan Ward went 24 of 26 kicking field goals and 25 of 26 kicking PATs.
More results
Despite The O’Colly’s in-real-life report that Garret Rangel is starting, Bowman started all 10 sims. He played better than he did in the sims against WVU two weeks ago, though. Gordon got injured in two of the 10 sims, too. Well, EA Sports thinks OSU is going to snap a three-game losing skid. If so, it would be very on brand for OSU head coach Mike Gundy and Co. And the video game has predicted OSU to win every game this season — which hasn’t worked the last three actual football games.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
File Photo
The two times Mike Gundy has fired a coach, their units either plummeted statistically or didn’t meet the standard.
Connor Fuxa
Ollie Gordon II averaged 111.7 rushing yards and 0.4 touchdowns in 10 EA Sports College Football 25 simulations against BYU.
Volleyball
National, in-state growth
The timing may not be ideal for OSU to add volleyball, but the sport is having a moment.
OSU had a volleyball team in the early 1970s, but it’s unclear why the program folded.
Speculation has centered around the 1975 addition of women’s basketball scholarships, which could have created an overall scholarship crunch.
Nonetheless, collegiate volleyball was in a different place 50 years ago. At the time, OSU let go of a sport that probably wasn’t difficult to lose. Now, it’s one of the fastest-growing on a participation and popularity basis, leaving OSU with good reason to ask if it’s missing out on a jackpot.
In 2022-23, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of girls high school volleyball players reached an alltime high of 470,488. At the collegiate level, the 2023 national championship between Texas and Nebraska peaked at 2.1 million viewers and saw an average of 1.7 million viewers, a 115% increase from the year prior.
And TV numbers have the potential to boom again, as NBC will televise three matches nationally this season. The Big Ten will have 83 matches televised.
The Cornhuskers also set the record for largest attendance at a women’s sporting event last August, when 92,003 spectators filled Nebraska’s football stadium to watch the school’s volleyball match against Omaha.
“Women’s sports is just exploding,” said Lee Feinswog, editor of VolleyballMag.com.
“There’s no turning back.”
Volleyball has gained steam in Oklahoma too.
As participation has increased state-wide, particularly at the club level, the Oklahoma Region Volleyball Association is riding a consistent streak of yearly growth.
“Every year without fail, we have set a new record for number of members in our region,” said Shawn McCarty, commissioner of the OKRVA. “We set a new record every year and have for the past 20 years.
“I’ve ran our regional championships for 20 years. The first show, we had 42 teams and were on like three or four courts. This past year, we had our event at the expo center in Tulsa, and we had 352 teams.”
In a 1999 article in The Oklahoman, OSU assistant athletic director Ann Baer said that OSU added equestrian instead of volleyball, partly because of a low number of in-state volleyball participants at the time.
“You look at how popular the sport is, and there just aren’t the numbers in volleyball,” Baer said then.
The Oklahoman’s article also reported that at the time it was written, only 94 out of 470 Oklahoma high schools played volleyball. Today, that number is 148.
“There are two reasons why Oklahoma State should have volleyball,” Feinswog said. “It’s a great sport exploding in every possible way, and everyone who follows women’s sports in America knows it. The other is, you want to keep pace with what everybody else is doing, and Oklahoma State wants to keep pace with whatever is going on.”
Volleyball void OSU is the only school in a new-look, 16-team Big 12 conference without a volleyball team. But the sport is booming so much that it’s still growing on the school’s campus.
Over the past three years, the women’s club volleyball team at OSU has seen year-by-year growth that mirrors the consistent linear spike in TV viewership at the collegiate level and the number of volleyball players
in Oklahoma.
“My sophomore year, we had one team,” said Micah McDowell, president of the OSU women’s voleyball club. “We had an A team, and we had 14 girls on it. That was everybody that tried out. Last year, we had 30 girls come to tryouts, so we were able to make an A and a B team. This year, we had 48 girls come, so we’re able to have an A, B and C team.”
If OSU ever brings back volleyball, the coaching staff could find some prospects by watching the club team practice.
McDowell and the club’s treasurer, Abbey Hays, told The O’Colly that several girls on the A team received small-school collegiate offers but preferred to attend OSU. Hays and McDowell also said they’d “probably go through the process” of attempting to walk on if Cowgirl volleyball was brought back.
“I wanted to choose the school,” Hays added. “I didn’t want the school to choose me.”
Volleyball recruiting is one of the few areas in which OSU isn’t competing with its in-state rival, Oklahoma. The Sooners typically have a limited number of Oklahomans on their roster, but based on the sport’s trajectory, that could someday change.
Aaron Mansfield, OU’s second-year head coach, has already seen Oklahoma volleyball strengthen since his arrival — on the recruiting trail and among Sooner fans.
In Mansfield’s first season as coach, OU set a program seasonattendance record with 13,685 total fans attending matches at McCasland Field House during the season.
“There’s been a grassroots effort over the last four or five years (to grow volleyball in Oklahoma),” Mansfield said.
“As far as the number of clubs that have popped up in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Edmond and some of those surrounding cities. You can see more clubs are popping up.
“We’re still trying to get
things established here. But even having said that, the fans show up and support… Where we play, it’s really loud. The fan experience is really, really good.”
Mansfield is hopeful he can someday coach in a Bedlam match. The thought of an in-state rivalry match sounds amazing, he said, and it’d benefit the state and its volleyball scene.
“We would still want to schedule that match once a year,” Mansfield said. “It would create more opportunities for female athletes to play volleyball (in Oklahoma). This place would be packed if OSU came here, and I would think the same thing if we went there.”
To Anna Rice, the idea of OSU volleyball makes sense, too.
A senior at Edmond Santa Fe High School, Rice is committed to play volleyball at TCU. She didn’t know OSU was the only school in the Big 12 without a volleyball team until other high-level, Power Four programs recruited her.
“I was like, ‘Man, I didn’t even realize that,’” Rice said. “‘I wonder why that is.’”
Rice said she still would have picked TCU if OSU had a team, but that the hypothetical Cowgirl volleyball program would probably have been on her list of potential options.
“OSU would probably be in my top 10,” Rice said. “... I think if OSU had a team, a lot of people would be wanting to go there and interested in playing there.”
Financial factors at play
Even if Weiberg and other power conference ADs wanted to add sports, the House V. NCAA lawsuit probably would make it infeasible.
If approved, the transformative $2.8 billion settlement would change the financial logistics of college athletics, as schools could begin sharing revenue with players as soon as the 202526 school year.
The settlement would allow
schools to distribute up to $22 million each year to its players. It’d also make way for scholarships to be given to all rostered athletes, among other possible changes to the model.
As a result, power conference schools’ athletic budgets are expected to change tremendously and could take a hit. It’s why adding a sport to a budget appears to be difficult.
“I think most schools are trying to figure out how they keep the sports they have,” Weiberg said. “They’re probably not looking to add sports right now.
“The bottom line is, it becomes a financial issue.”
And as part of the settlement, all NCAA Division I athletes who competed from 2016-21 and did not have the option of name, image and likeness earnings due to previous rules will be eligible for NIL back damages based on their circumstances. The NCAA will pay nearly $3 billion throughout the next 10 years to affected studentathletes.
For reference, the University of Texas — according to an email reportedly sent from athletic director Chris Del Conte to donors — is estimating a $1.5 million reduction in annual revenue to its athletics department for the next 10 years as the school covers its portion of the aforementioned damages.
Adding a sport to a power conference budget — OSU’s currently breaks even at $120,979,600 each in expenses and revenue — seems to be a math problem without a clearcut solution as the settlement continues.
“We’re in the process of trying to figure out where the money that we may be having to include for the revenue sharing or whatever the things that come out of the house settlement (will be),” Weiberg said.
However, even if the settlement wasn’t an obstacle, and OSU decided to add volleyball, the university would have other financial problems to solve.
Weiberg estimates starting a program would cost “a minimum of $2 million” annually.
And Gallagher-Iba Arena currently houses wrestling and men’s and women’s basketball, so OSU would have to build an extra facility to accommodate practice space, all while having “to come up with an additional two-and-a-half or 3 million (dollars) to be competitive” in volleyball, Weiberg said.
“The timing is just not good right now for adding any sport,” he said.
Never say never In a perfect world, Weiberg could add another sport with ease. No House v. NCAA settlement. No potential revenue reductions. And a new facility for the desired program and a Bedlam match in a new sport.
But until the future of college athletics is clear, burdening a budget with a new sport is a tall task.
That doesn’t mean OSU won’t ever add a varsity program.
Weiberg isn’t ruling out anything, and at some point down the road, bringing back volleyball could become easier.
“It’s just not in the cards right now,” Weiberg said. “I’m not saying that someday it may not be, but we got a lot of things to figure out first.”
If OSU ever does bring back volleyball, students could pack the close-arranged student sections at GIA and alumni could return to watch a team they likely didn’t get to see on campus.
It’d be an addition to the booming collegiate volleyball world and would bring another element to Oklahoma sports.
“I think it’d bring a good crowd from the start,” McDowell said. “Even if OSU didn’t start with the best team, I still think there would be a huge fan base, and it’d grow over time.”
Bryson Thadhani
The OSU women’s club voleyball team has grown in size each of the past two years, from 14 players to 48.
OSU baseball fall ball roundtable
Takeaways, thoughts thus far
al ball with the Milwaukee Brewers in the summer, looked good through two innings in relief.
It’s a small sample size, but enough for us baseball beat writers.
Oklahoma State is coming off a three-game fall road series against Arkansas this past weekend. And the Cowboys showed a polar-opposite display in efficiency between Days 1 and 2.
The Razorbacks thrashed OSU 8-1 on Friday. One day later, the Cowboys slugged their way through the first of a two-game, five-inning doubleheader on Saturday, 6-3. The third game consisted of primarily freshmen and first-year prospects from both sides, and the Razorbacks won 7-1.
Afterward, OSU head coach Josh Holliday shut down any potential exhibition games or series in the future, confirming to The O’Colly that the remainder of the Cowboys’ fall season will “probably” consist of intrasquad scrimmages and team practices.
Below are five thoughts and takeaways from The O’Colly baseball beat writers Daniel Allen and Weston Wertzberger on OSU’s fall season thus far:
The Cowboys have the makings of a quality starting rotation
Allen: A year ago, OSU had one of its most efficient starting pitching rotations in the Holliday era in Sam Garcia, Brian Holiday and Carson Benge. After all three were taken in the MLB Draft, the Cowboys were tasked with retooling their already maintained rotation. And on paper, they’ve done just that. Harrison Bodendorf, a transfer from Hawaii, committed to OSU out of the portal this offseason.
The left-hander showcased his wicked changeup against the Razorbacks last Friday, and at times, his unorthodox sidearm delivery caught Arkansas batters off-guard, but things went haywire, as he allowed four earned runs through 1 2/3 innings.
But it takes three to compile a starting rotation, and that often entails four to solidify a championship-caliber pitching room.
OSU’s 6-foot-8 right-hander Mario Pesca, a transfer from St. John’s, looked good in two innings of work. His slider looked sharp outside of a couple of hangers, one of which resulted in a solo blast for Arkansas.
Junior right-hander Gabe Davis was spotted in street clothes with a splint on his throwing arm near the visitor’s dugout both days in Fayetteville. No clarification was given on the severity or timetable of his injury, but assuming the worst-case scenario, OSU has enough arms to fill the void Davis leaves.
Freshman left-hander Ethan Lund, the No. 277 overall recruit in the Class of 2024 (Perfect Game), struck out four through two scoreless frames Saturday. D-II Westmont College right-handed transfer Sean Youngerman looked sharp in relief this past Friday and has notable starting experience. Freshman righty Noah Wech, who passed on profession-
Wertzberger: Objectively, Arkansas has a lineup worthy of making the College World Series next spring, and it was a tough challenge for Bodendorf to face but a good one to overcome for the future. Freshman left-hander Lund also debuted for OSU in Game 1 on Saturday and looked capable with his outing. In two innings, Lund struck out four Razorbacks while only giving up a wild pitch and walk.
Drew Blake, the only familiar face with the Cowboys who started this weekend, had a decent outing in two innings during Game 2 of the doubleheader. The left-hander struck out two but allowed five hits and two runs from the second inning. Now that all three are familiar on the mound as starters for OSU, they look to improve from here.
OSU’s offense looks legit
Allen: Friday certainly would not have indicated it, but the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader saw OSU’s bats heat up, launching four home runs to clinch a win.
On paper, the Cowboys should have one of their better offensive teams under Holliday, even without Benge’s star power on offense.
But left-fielder and potential firstrounder Nolan Schubart is coming back for his junior year. In the spring, he led OSU in batting average (.370), home runs (23), OPS (1.351) and RBI (68). Additionally, he led all Big 12 hitters in each respective category, except for batting average, ranking second.
OSU also returns first baseman Colin Brueggemann, catcher Ian Daugherty, third baseman Aidan Meola and second baseman Avery Ortiz. And not to mention, Beau Sylvester, OSU’s starting catcher to start last year, is back from an ACL injury. He looked good from a plate-approach standpoint in Fayetteville.
And if Holliday and Co. can capitalize with the addition of Arkansas transfer Jayson Jones — Perfect Game’s No. 35 recruit in the Class of 2022 — OSU has the offensive firepower to be considered among the upper echelon of Omaha-potential teams in the spring.
Wertzberger: Although it was a slow start to the series for Oklahoma State on Friday, with only two hits and an RBI single from Kollin Ritchie alone, the Cowboys offense showed out on Saturday.
In Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, the bats started to come alive with five hits and one run in the first five-inning matchup; but they took off in Game 2. All six runs came via home runs from — Meola, Jayson Jones, Brayden Smith and Ortiz.
Ritchie, Jones and Brock Thompson had multiple hits in the series. Overall, the Cowboys’ offense had a solid day in the doubleheader for 12 hits total while being limited to eight strikeouts in 10 innings. With a quality performance against a good pitching staff from the Razorbacks, OSU showed signs that its offense can be the real deal. Expect many new faces making big moments in the spring for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys displayed bullpen upside Allen: We mentioned the bevy of arms OSU has in contention for its starting pitching rotation. That could simultaneously highlight the depth the Cowboys might have in the bullpen.
Wech, Youngerman and Lund could all be quality relief options. Hunter Watkins, a 6-foot-8 right-hander who transferred in from Grand Canyon, is another viable relief option. Freshman right-hander Matthew Brown is, too. Kash Ferris is another freshman Holliday is high on.
Mesh them with returners such as southpaw flamethrowers Ryan Ure and Blake, and OSU has the blueprint for a premier bullpen in 2025.
Wertzberger: Once Bodendorf was done for the night on Friday, freshman Wech was the first bullpen reliever to appear. Wech finished with three strikeouts, three hits and two earned runs through two innings.
Three more pitchers came out Friday night without dealing much damage, giving up four hits and two runs while striking out six.
In Saturday’s doubleheader, four of five relievers had a stellar outing, giving up one run or less each and causing minimal damage against the Razorbacks.
With a solid performance for the bullpen against Arkansas, pitching coach Rob Walton knows what to expect for more outings from his pitchers this fall.
This could be one of Josh Holliday’s best teams at OSU
Allen: If there’s any year to end OSU’s regional skid, it’s this year.
The Cowboys have a potential first-rounder in Schubart, a multitude of quality options for their starting rotation and a deep pitching room. And not to mention, a handful of talented freshmen. That, on paper, should be enough to compile a College World Series-caliber lineup.
The spring will mark my fourth year on the OSU baseball beat with The O’Colly, but this 2025 squad has the potential to top the prior teams in almost every way. OSU hasn’t made it out of a regional since 2019 and hasn’t made it to the CWS since 2016. That’s a long time for a program that holds 20 CWS appearances.
But this year could be different. It should be different. OSU fans can only hope.
Wertzberger: In 2024, the Cowboys capped the season with 42 wins — the most in the Big 12 Conference — and a Big 12 championship. With OSU preparing for 2025 with fall baseball, Holliday’s team seeks to become even better in the spring.
The Cowboys landed a top-10 recruiting class in 2024 and brought in multiple transfers to improve the bullpen and lineup.
With OSU having notable experience from big-time players and multiple first-year prospects striving to stamp their name for a few years, the Cowboys could go beyond last year as a favorite to win the Big 12 and make the CWS.
Continued from 1
Bindbeutel worked her way back from injury, with her minutes seeing a steady increase in the spring season and in the early portion of the regular season. By the time she was back at full strength, the guaranteed starting spot that she earned in her freshman season had vanished.
Along with missing a year of action, Bindbeutel’s injury also created opportunities for other young wings to get reps and prove themselves. Players like Adhelia Ghonda and Logan Heausler had taken full control of their starting spots, and incoming freshmen like Bella Pierotti and Reganne Morris had shown they deserved opportunities to play.
Although the Cowgirls were deep up front, the opportunities were there for new defenders to get significant time. So, instead of demanding time up front, Bindbeutel slotted in at wingback opposite senior stalwart Alex Morris — but she never shut the door on a return to the front.
“Gracie is awesome,” Morris said. “She’s just a little workhorse. She runs her butt off; she works her butt off every single game, no matter what position she is at.”
Bindbeutel had her moments at wingback, showing that she could be a morethan-capable sub in a pinch, but it never felt quite right.
“I got used to wingback eventually,” Bindbeutel said. “But being up top, there’s just a lot of familiarity and a lot more confidence. I feel like I’m so used to it; I’m so familiar with it.”
Bindbeutel’s long-awaited move back up top came after a four-game skid that saw the Cowgirls post an 0-2-2 record, and a big reason for it was a lack of offensive creation. All season, OSU has been able to get good runs and generate good looks, but finishing has been a different story. Outside of Heausler, OSU’s consistency has been iffy, and with Bindbeutel’s work ethic, energy and positional experience, made her the perfect candidate to remedy the Cowgirls’ offensive woes.
“Amazing energy, fast, causes the other team’s defense problems, creates opportunities for us off her work ethic,” OSU head coach Colin Carmichael said. “Having Gracie up front is something I wish I’d done earlier in the season, but the emergence of (Katelyn) Hoppers at right wingback helped with that decision. Gracie has been amazing. She just gives us that different look up front with that pace that she brings.”
Since returning to her natural position, Bindbeutel has already scored two goals and been an integral part of a revamped Cowgirl attack. Since the move, OSU has won matches by scores of 3-0, 3-0 and 1-0, and the offense has felt significantly more dangerous as postseason play approaches.
Less than two years removed from a devastating knee injury, Bindbeutel has taken a long path to getting back to her natural starting position. But her effort never wavered, and now, with the biggest games of her career ahead, she is back in the spotlight — just as she was always meant to be.
“She sets the tone for that front line. I should rephrase that; she sets the tone for the majority of the team because of her work ethic,” OSU assistant Justin Elkington said. “I think we’re seeing little different facets of what she brings to the table.”
Bryson Thadhani
Drew Blake was the only familiar face who the Cowboys started in their fall ball series against Arkansas.
Lilian Easter Since Gracie Bindbeutel
DANIEL ALLEN & WESTON WERTZBERGER STAFF REPORTERS
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER
The headline of Oklahoma State wrestling’s media day wasn’t the progress of the team or the buzz buildind for to a retooled roster in Year 1 of the David Taylor era.
A month after Taylor clinched first place at 92 kg in the Senior World Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, he answered a question that had been looming in the minds of OSU fans: Will Taylor compete in the Senior World Championships in Albania, from Oct. 28-31?
“Yeah, I’m gonna go,” Taylor said Monday afternoon. “I think the timing works out.”
Taylor cruised through the trials with a 4-0 record, including three victories that ended in the first period. He pinned 2023 world bronze medalist Zahid Valencia after holding an 8-0 lead in the second match to end the weekend.
During a Sept. 19 press conference, Taylor expressed uncertainty regarding how potential participation in the Senior World Championship would entail extensive time away from Stillwater and OSU’s roster and how that would affect team morale. It was an avenue Taylor explored deeply, noting the positives and negatives and leaving questions of what his final decision would be.
On Monday, however, he ended such uncertainty.
“It’s still been difficult. I think every day I go through this, ‘Is this the right decision?’” Taylor said. “But I think that it’s something that you get an opportunity to wrestle in the world championship. It’s just, how often do you get an opportunity to go wrestle? How often do you get the opportunity to be the best in the world?”
“You just balance (headcoaching duties) with the responsibilities that are here
and what we’re getting ready to do here this year.”
Early takeaways from 202425 schedule
This past Friday, OSU released its 2024-25 schedule.
The Cowboys’ impending slate features 14 duals — seven home and seven away — including road contests at Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Oregon State and Oklahoma, and home duals against Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and Missouri.
Notably, however, OSU’s dual against the Sooners on Dec. 13 in Norman will be the lone Bedlam matchup this season. That means there will be no Bedlam wrestling in Gallagher-Iba Arena. It marks the first time since the 2018-19 season that OSU will compete in a lone Bedlam dual.
Sources close to the program told The O’Colly the change is a result of a scheduling conflict on Oklahoma’s end.
Regardless, Taylor expressed elation regarding his team’s imminent schedule. If anything, the schedule will test Taylor’s Cowboys early.
“I think for our team, it’s a good opportunity to see where we’re at,” Taylor said. “…We feel good about it. It’s a very challenging schedule. But that’s why these guys are training. These guys want to go out and wrestle good matches.”
Brayden Thompson to redshirt
After spending his freshman season as the Cowboys’ starting 174-pounder, Brayden Thompson will redshirt his sophomore year, Taylor said Monday.
Thompson, the former No. 3 pound-for-pound recruit in the Class of 2023, logged ranked wins over OU’s Tate Picklo twice and another against fifth-ranked Peyton Mocco of Mizzou during OSU’s win over the Tigers in Columbia. But recurrent offensive inconsistencies plagued him at times. That resulted in a 12-11 record and
no qualification for Thompson in nationals last season.
Taylor said the hope in redshirting Thompson is to instill a full year of development. He added that Thompson is likely to compete at 184 a year from now.
“He’s doing a great job,” Taylor said. “He’s getting bigger.”
Regarding the void at 174, the Cowboys have options.
Whether that be Michigan State transfer Caleb Fish or Wisconsin All-American transfer Dean Hamiti — both of whom competed at 165 a year ago — OSU has no shortage of potential options to fill that spot.
“I just think it makes sense for him to redshirt,” Taylor said. “We have a lot of seniors in the lineup. Guys that are obviously very good guys. Brayden – not that it changes his mentality... I just think it was a tough year. Wrestling as a true freshman is a very challenging thing to do. And he had a great season. But this gives him time to really just develop.”
Taylor to implement orange-singlet incentive
Starting this season, only starters will wear orange singlet.
Non-starters competing in open tournaments or showcases will wear black singlets.
Taylor said he and his coaching made the change to “motivate” backups to compete for a starting job.
Taylor also hinted at alterations to OSU’s singlets, making the incentive to earn a starting spot all the more appealing to his backups.
“It’s something that you’ve got to earn the opportunity to wear that (orange) singlet,” Taylor said. “So, that’ll be something unique this year, with guys going out and competing.
“I think it’s just something to kind of (let wrestlers know) that you’re working for. It just keeps you hungry.”
OSU hosts Cowboy Classic, wins 12 of 16 matches
BAYLOR
BRYANT STAFF REPORTER
The Cowboy Classic showed fans the future of Cowboy tennis this past weekend, as Oklahoma State won 12 of 16 matches.
The Cowboys played matches against Wichita State, SMU and Baylor during the three-day tournament. The Cowboys left as one of the tournament’s biggest winners.
OSU went 10-1 in singles and 2-3 in doubles matches across the weekend. Graduate student Isaac Becroft showed that he is ready to be the Cowboys’ Court 1 player with a 3-0 singles record in the tournament.
OSU’s two freshmen, Ian Bracks and Thomas Gadecki, played all weekend and showcased why the coaching staff was so excited to get them on the courts. OSU associate coach Sergey Avdeyev said it was great to get the freshmen some exposure with the fans on the home court.
“They’ve done well,” Avdeyev said. “It was great preparation for upcoming regionals, which we’ll be taking those guys on Tuesday to play on Wednesday. Overall, I like what I saw — a lot of grit. They were hungry to prove them-
selves.”
Bracks and Gadecki went 1-2 together in doubles with an 8-2 win against Baylor. In singles, Gadecki went 3-0 and Bracks went 2-1. Gadecki said he’s focused on developing as a player and does not want to be too result-based.
“Just using each day as a new way to find ways to improve on the game,” Gadecki said. “I still have lots of years of development. The plan is to go pro after college, so utilizing each day for the next four years here in college makes it worthwhile.”
With five returning players and two freshmen, most of OSU’s roster saw action during the Cowboy Classic. With the smallest roster in the Dustin Taylor era, the camaraderie from the players shows.
“We’re all good friends,” Bracks said. “It’s good energy in the locker room with all of us. I think even though there’s only seven of us, it still feels like a big group.”
OSU left the Cowboy Classic looking better than a team that lost two of its best players. Avdeyev said he liked what he saw from the players in the tournament.
“They had the grit, and in college tennis, that’s one of the most important aspects, which is you gotta be hungry to prove yourself and to win,” Avdeyev said.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Bryson Thadhani
OSU head coach David Taylor called the Cowboys’ tough schedule
“good opportunity.”
Connor Fuxa
Thomas Gadecki and Ian Brooks are OSU’s two freshmen this season.
sports
Game Day Preview
Many things have plagued Oklahoma State this season, but atop the list — right next to poor quarterback play — is the inability to stop the run. Somewhere as a subhead on that bullet point is the inability to stop running quarterbacks, and now they are faced with another one.
Jake Retzlaff, at times struggled after taking over last season, has settled into his role for BYU. Along with leading the Cougars in passing yards, He is currently leading them in rushing yards. BYU’s offense doesn’t leap off the page statistically, but Retzlaff is at the helm of what is a consistent and good-enough offense.
If Retzlaff can compliment BYU’s elite defense just enough Friday, he could find himself at the helm of another game in which he is the engine of the offense both on the ground and through the air.
COUGARS to Watch
No. 12, Jake Retzlaff, QB No. 17, Jack Kelly, LB
3 Storylines
Can Ollie Gordon II find any momentum?
Other than a strong first quarter and early second quarterstart in the Kansas State game, Ollie Gordon II has found little momentum on the ground.
Aside from K-State, Gordon has 24 carries for 92 rushing yards and zero touchdowns in Big 12 Conference play. Speaking of touchdowns, Gordon hasn’t found the end zone since the Cowboys’ Sept. 7 game against Arkansas.
With Garret Rangel taking over Alan Bowman’s starting quarterback role, Gordon may benefit from Rangel sharing the backfield with him because he’s more dynamic than Bowman.
If Gordon leaves Rangel needing to play hero ball, though, then things could get ugly for the one-demensional Cowboys in Provo.
Of OSU’s six games this year, four have come against teams that use the quarterback in the rushing attack. Of those four quarterbacks, each has found success.
Next on this list is Jake Retzlaff. Retzlaff may not be a natural runner at the level of someone like Arkansas’ Taylen Green or West Virginia’s Garrett Greene, but he is leading BYU in rushing yards this season. As a team without a true workhorse running back, the Cougars may provide OSU with somewhat of a break when it comes to allowing a dominant day on the ground.
However, Retzlaff has proven to be more than capable, and if OSU isn’t careful, it could be him joining a list of 100-yard rushers that seems to grow every week that the Cowboys are active.
Nobody expected OSU to have a shutdown defense before the season, but after losing linebackers Collin Oliver and Nick Martin, someone has to step up and get the Cowboys past the point of being a turnstile for opposing offenses.
Against West Virginia, Jeff Roberson was up to the task, racking up 12 tackles and a sack — he was the best player on either side of the ball for the Cowboys. Next up for Roberson is proving if he can be the new man in the middle, as OSU is forced to deal with two injuries that will cause its two best defensive players to miss multiple weeks.
Kendal Daniels is also a candidate to see an increased role in the middle of the defense, but Daniels’ value has often been found in his ability to be OSU’s Swiss Army Knife. If defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo wants Daniels to continue moving around the defense, it could be up to Roberson to come up big once again.
Where BYU really thrives defensively is as a unit, and its dominance doesn’t always shine through statistically. However, even those who haven’t watched a snap of the Cougars this season can pull up a box score and see Jack Kelly’s impact.
Kelly is BYU’s sack leader with three this season, and he also makes a significant imprint in the run game with solid tackling ability. Kelly always seems to be involved when the Cougars need a stop.
Time will tell if he can make an impact Friday, but with a new quarterback suiting up for OSU, Kelly could be licking his lips as the premier pass rusher in Provo.
BYU’s all-around dominance continues to prove doubters wrong
REPORTER
Coming into the season, no one expected much from BYU.
The Cougars were coming off a disappointing first season in the Big 12 Conference, in which they went 5-7, missing a bowl game. With arch-rival Utah joining the conference, it seemed as if BYU’s opportunity to become the head honcho in its home state had come and gone — until this season started.
Behind a dominant defense, the Cougars are in the thick of the race to win the Big 12 title and send themselves to the College Football Playoff.
Historically, BYU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) is known for its offense, specifically its quarterback play.
The home of Steve Young and Jim McMahon, BYU’s success has typically lined up with having an elite signal-caller.
Although Jake Retzlaff may not be elite, he has done exactly what most coaches want from their quarterback — played complimentary football. Retzlaff has thrown five interceptions this season, leads BYU in rushing yards and passing yards and he has taken five sacks this season.
With a top-10 defense in opponent yards per play and 11th
in opponent points per game, all Retzlaff has needed to do is not lose the game.
The Cougars defense has been its calling card all year, and since Big 12 play began, it has improved.
While most dominant defenses stem from an abnormal ability to stop the run, BYU thrives in stopping the pass. BYU has held opponents to just 51% completion this season while allowing 5.2 yards per pass.
BYU is good at defending the pass, but where it really thrives is forcing turnovers. BYU forces 2.6 turnovers a game, which ranks eighth nationally. Leading the charge is cornerback Jakob Robinson, who leads the team with two interceptions with two and has also forced a fumble. Robinson and the back end of the defense have starred, but the run defense is solid too. The unit ranks top 40 in most relevant statistics, including yards per rush.
BYU’s defense is strong across the board and is set to host an Oklahoma State offense that has struggled against worse opponents.
If BYU can do what it has all season and force a handful of turnovers and hold Ollie Gordon II in check, it could be another dominant day for one of the best defenses in the country.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Courtesy BYU Athletics
CALIF PONCY STAFF
Jaren Wilkey/BYU
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake’s team has outperformed expectations this season.
Courtesy BYU Athletics
Payton Little
Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics
Payton Little
The O’colly sports picks
Pick Leaderboard:
Point / Counterpoint
ashton slaughter
Yes. I’m not rooting against Rangel, but the Cougars have the best passing efficiency defense in the country. Asking someone who hasn’t been the bonafide starter — since he’s only started because of injuries and a three-quarterback rotation — is a
if
The O’colly sports picks
Pick Leaderboard:
Point / Counterpoint
ashton slaughter
Yes. I’m not rooting against Rangel, but the Cougars have the best passing efficiency defense in the country. Asking someone who hasn’t been the bonafide starter — since he’s only started because of injuries and a three-quarterback rotation — is a
